Psalms 1 – The Blessed Path 🎧 Intro (Soft acoustic or piano music begins) Welcome back to Morning Meditation with Missionary Joe Consford. Yesterday we began our journey in Acts Chapter 1, where Jesus promised power through the Holy Spirit. Today we turn to Psalms Chapter 1 – The Blessed Path. This psalm is like a doorway into the entire Book of Psalms. It shows us two roads — one that leads to blessing and one that leads to emptiness. Let’s listen together to the very first psalm from the King James Version. 📖 Scripture Reading (KJV) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 📜 Story: The Tree by the River A few years ago, while visiting a village in Ghana, I noticed an enormous tree growing beside a shallow stream. The dry season had turned the ground to cracked clay. The grass was brown, and the air shimmered with heat. Yet that one tree stood tall and green. Its roots had found water deep beneath the surface, unseen but constant. Every morning children played in its shade. Goats rested there. Birds sang from its branches. I asked a local farmer how that tree could stay so alive when everything else was drying up. He smiled and said, “Because it planted itself by the water long ago.” That image has never left me. Psalm 1 tells us that the blessed man — the righteous person — is like that tree. He doesn’t depend on the season or the weather of life. His strength comes from where he’s planted. 💭 Reflection: Three Truths for the Blessed Life 1. A Separated Walk – “Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” The blessed life begins with choices. Every day we choose which voices will shape our thoughts. The man of God turns away from the world’s advice and tunes his heart to Heaven. 2. A Satisfied Heart – “His delight is in the law of the Lord.” Delight comes when God’s Word becomes our joy, not our duty. When Scripture is more than a checklist — when it’s our conversation with God — we begin to flourish from the inside out. 3. A Stable Life – “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” Stability isn’t the absence of storms — it’s the presence of roots. When your life is grounded in God’s truth, the winds may blow, but you will not be moved. Psalm 1 invites us to choose our foundation — to plant ourselves near the living waters of God’s Word so that fruitfulness becomes the natural result of fellowship with Him. 🙏 Outro Maybe today you feel the dryness of life — your strength is fading, your joy feels thin. Friend, move your roots closer to the river. Spend time in the Word, and you’ll find refreshment for your soul. Thank you for joining me today on Morning Meditation. Tomorrow, we’ll open to Revelation Chapter 1 and stand in awe as we see Jesus revealed in all His glory — the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Until then, keep your heart open, your Bible nearby, and your hands ready to serve. To follow our family’s journey back to Ghana, or to connect with our ministry, visit consfords.com/connect.